Wisdom: Godly or worldly?

Do you desire wisdom? The definition of wisdom is: accumulated philosophic or scientific learning; knowledge, the ability to discern inner qualities and relationships; insight, good sense, judgment; a wise attitude or course of action; the teachings of the ancient wise men.

There is “worldly” wisdom and there is “Godly” wisdom. Godly wisdom is when a person has the ability to put knowledge, understanding and discernment to good use that comes from God. Have you ever met a person who claimed to be wise, but acted in a foolish manner? True wisdom is measured by a person’s character. We can identify a tree by the fruit that it produces. You can evaluate if a person has wisdom by the way they act. You don’t have to look far in today’s world to realize that foolishness leads to disorder. On the other hand, wisdom leads to peace and desirable things. James 3:17 says, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. It is also peace-loving, gentle at all times and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no partiality and is always sincere.”

If you desire “Godly” wisdom you must earnestly seek it. Wisdom is a God-given gift, but only those who vigorously search for wisdom will find it. Proverbs 2:6 says, “For the Lord grants wisdom! From His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity.” Wisdom is a gift to believers, but God gives it only to those who earnestly seek it.

God’s wisdom is hidden from the rebellious and the foolish, therefore it takes much effort to find it and use it. The pathway to wisdom is not an easy one. It is very laborious, but those willing to stay on the path in search of wisdom will be led by the God of true wisdom and rewarded for their efforts.

In the Bible, David taught his son Solomon as a young boy, that seeking God’s wisdom was the best choice he could ever make. Solomon learned this lesson well. When God appeared to Solomon He told the new King that He would grant any request. Solomon chose wisdom above all other things. Proverbs 4:7 says, “Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And whatever else you do, get good judgment.” Like Solomon, we too should make wisdom our first preference. We do not have to wait for God to appear to us. We can ask boldly for wisdom through prayer. James 1:5 says, “If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask Him, and He will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking.”

“Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding,” (Proverbs 9:10). Are you a mocker or a wise person? How do you respond to criticism? Do you respond with a quick put-down or clever reply or do you listen to what is being said? Learning from your critics is a pathway to wisdom. Wisdom begins with knowing God. He is the one who provides us with the insight into how to live because He is the Creator of life. You can not know God just by knowing facts about Him. You must have a personal relationship with Him. If you really desire to be wise, get to know God more and more deeply. Wisdom is the mind of God revealed. By studying the earthly ministry of Jesus, you will see wisdom in action.

In the Bible, the Book of Proverbs makes a contrast between the wise and the foolish. If you desire wisdom, these contrasts are worth knowing.

Characteristics:

The wise give good advice while the foolish lack common sense. (Proverbs 10:21)
The wise enjoy wisdom while the foolish enjoy foolishness. (Proverbs 10:23)
The wise consider their steps while the foolish are gullible (Proverbs 14:15) and avoid the wise. (Proverbs 15:12)
The wise hunger for truth while the foolish feed on foolishness. (Proverbs 15:14)
The wise value wisdom above riches. (Proverbs 16:16)
The wise receive life, the foolish receive punishment. (Proverbs 16:22)
The wise respond to correction while the foolish do not respond to punishment (Proverbs 17:10)
The wise pursue wisdom while the foolish pursue illusive dreams (Proverbs 17:24) and blame their failure on God (Proverbs 19:3)
The wise profit from correction while the foolish are an example to others (Proverbs 19:25) are proud and arrogant (Proverbs 21:24) despise wise advice (Proverbs 23:9) make truth useless (Proverbs 26:7) repeat their foolishness (Proverbs 26:11)
The wise trust in wisdom while the foolish trust in themselves (Proverbs 28:26)
The wise control their anger while the foolish unleash their anger (Proverbs 29:11)

Reputation:

The wise are admired as counselors while the foolish are punished as servants (Prov. 10:13)
The wise are crowned with knowledge while the foolish inherit folly (Proverbs 14:18), cause strife and quarrels (Prov. 22:10), receive no honor (Prov. 26:1)
The wise keep peace while the foolish stir up anger (Prov. 29:8)

Results:
The wise stay on straight paths while the foolish go the wrong way (Prov. 15:21), lash out when discovered in their foolishness (Prov. 17:12), are endangered by their words (Prov. 18: 6, 7) The wisdom of the wise conquers others’ strength (Prov. 21:22) The wise avoid wicked paths while the foolish walk a troublesome path (Prov. 22:5)
The wise have great advice (Prov.24:5) while the foolish will never be chosen as counselors (Prov. 24:7), must be guided by hardship (Prov. 26:3), persist in foolishness (Prov. 27:22)

Be encouraged and make the effort to gain God’s wisdom. You can experience the wisdom of God if you are willing to seek diligently and pray fervently for God’s wisdom. Today, right now, is the time to seek for wisdom as never before!

Life application Study Bible, New Living Translation
Wisdom, Don’t Live life Without It by Larry Lea